Washing-machine.



P'ATBNTBDJUNB I9, 1906.y l

G. II. MITCHELL. WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24 1904.

MENTS-SHEET 1.

MZZ 65,5607

ANDREW, a. mmm co.. (more.Lrmomwnns` WASHINGTON. n. a

y Wa'zefsde WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24 1904.

2 SHEETS-Smm 2.

ANDREW. s. GRAM c.

- bodying the features of the invention and suds-box having legs- 2 and a t a' V suitable 4ployed to indicate CURRAN E. MITCHELL 0F FORT PAYNE, ALABAMA.

WASHINGeMAoHlNE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented .rune 19, 1906.

` Application mea June 24,1904. s9fia1N0.213,996.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, OURRAN E. MITCHELL,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Payne, in the county of Dekalb and Stateof Alabama, have invented ,new and useful Improvements in Washing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to washing-machines of that class having a rotary clothesholding drum, with coperating rollers disposed in yielding relation thereto, and the purpose of the same is to improve machines 7 of this class and facilitate cleansing clothing,

fabrics generally, wool, feathers, and other articles by a positive arrangement in a receptacle'or suds-box of'a slatted drum and rotatable rollers in opposition thereagainst, presenting a plurality of rigid' angular edges to Vthe articles or materials on the drum, one of The machine also contemplates the provi` sion of a receptacle or suds-box havingfa cover movably attached to one end and supplied with folding legs to adapt said cover to be used as a receptacle for the clothing or other articles to be or that have `been cleansed.

- A further aim is to provide a washing-machine having a comparatively small number of simple, strong, and durable contributing Velements which can be quickly assembled and disassociated.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is alongitudinal vertical section of a washing-machine emshowing the cover thrown back in full lines and closed-,in dotted lines. Fig.- 2 is a top plan of the machine with the cover open and partially broken away. Fig.-3 is a detail perspective view of one of the rollers Fig 4 Yis av detail perspective view of one of the supporting-frames carrying one ofthe rollers, the-frame being broken away in part to show the pivotal connection. Fig. 5 is a Vdetail view in end elevation of the drum.

Similar'` numerals of reference. are emcorresponding parts in the several views. v

The numeral 1 designates a receptacle or point may be provided with a drain device. This receptacle or suds-box will be constructed in the most approved manner to render it water-tight and also, preferably,

composed of wood or some other non-corrosive material. Thereover is removably applied a cover or inclosure 3, connected at one end by loose hinge devices, which in the present instance consist of upturned hook members 4, secured to ,thecover end and loosely and separably engaging angular arms 5, attached tothe end of the'receptacle or suds-box near the top of the latter. vThe top of the cover* 3-has a rod- 6 extending transversely thereacross, and on the ends of the'rod close'to the opposite sides of the cover legs 7 are movably applied. This cover, as shown by Fig. 1, is adapted to be thrown over to form a receptacle or holding means for articles of clothing to be washed or cleansed, and durin'g such arrangement or use the top vof the cover becomes the bottom and the-legs 7 are turnedy down to engage the base-support for the machine. When the cover isover the top of the receptacle or sudsbox 1, the legs 7 are reversed and depend over thesides of the cover.

The sides yof the receptacle or'box 13 have bearing-grooves 8 formed in the centers of the upper edges thereof in transverse alinement, said grooves-also partially extending through wear or bearing plates 9, preferably countersunk in the sidesof the receptacle.

In the"v grooves 8 and engaging the upper edges of the wear or ybearin plates 9 are the reduced terminals of asha t or axle 10, ex-

tending centrally through a clothes-drum 11,

having end spiders 12 wlth center-reinforcing plates 12a, the spiders being connected to annular heads 13,y having inwardly-projecting circumferential flanges or rims 1 4, one on each, to which are secured the terminals of slats 15. The slats 15 are spaced apart from eachother to form water circulatingvopenings, and thisV structure, together with the open heads, permits free passage of .water through the drum both transversely and longitudinally and, in fact, in all directions. The annular heads 13 project outwardlybeyond 'the outer surfaces'ofthe slats 15 to produce guards 16 foropposite rollers 17 and 18. The rollers are held in close contact with which efficiently serve to work outjor remove.

the dirt from the clothing or other articles placed on the drum to be cleansed. The

roller 18 is polygonal in cross-section, and

the roller 17 is made up of a plurality of polygonal members or disks 19, regularly spaced apart by interposed space-sleeves to form a series of channels which permit the water flowing back over this roller to pass downwardly into the receptacle or suds-box with greater rapidity. In addition the members or polygonal disks 19 present an increased number of angular edges to the fabrics or articles of clothing or the like on the vdrum and expedite the operation, the fabrics in some instances being Apressed in between the members or `disks with advantage inthe cleansing operation without liability yof injury to the material washed. The space-sleeves 20 are secured to the several members or disks 19 to cause the latter to unitedly rotate on the spindle 21, carrying the roller. The roller 18 has terminal trunni'ons 22, which rotate therewith, and the spindle 21 and trunnions 22 of the respective rollers are loosely mounted in the upper terminals of supporting-frames consisting of side bars or arms 23, having lower slots 23a, opening through the inner edges and removably 'engaging pivot-studs 23b onthe inner opposing sides of the receptacle or suds-box, the arms being connected by cross-bars 24 above their lower pivotal ends. The crossbar of veach supporting-frame has outwardlyprojecting studs 25 near the ends thereof, over which are fitted the inner extremities of pressure-springs 26, having their outer ends seated in sockets 27 in the ends of the receptacle or suds-box 1. The ends of the cross-bars 24 are pivotally held in the arms v23, as shown by Fig. 4, to compensate for the changeof angle 'of the `supporting-frames and maintain the springs 26 in lsuch position with respect to the parts they engage that disengagement thereof will be obviated and the most effective spring-pressure will result. By means `of the springs the supportingframes and the rollers lcarried thereby are forced over into close engagement with the drum, but with such yielding pressure as to permit the 'clothes or other articles placed on the 4drum to be forced between the rollers and the surface of the drum without injury to the clothes. The supporting-frames for the rollers do not in the least interfere or contact with any part of the drum, and the inner opposin edges of the side arms 23v are l'on itu'dinal y concaved, as at 28, to insure a c earance thereof with respect to the peripheries of the annular heads 13 adjacent to w 'ch they are normally held. The suporting-frames can be readily withdrawn om thesuds-box for cleaning purposes and afterward easily reset in operative position,

and, further, the lparts' of the supporting- 65 frames are assemb d and held intact when in the suds-box with the use of fastenings, thereby rendering it possible to quickly disjoint the frames, if desired.

At diametrically opposite points the drum has bracing-slats 29, which are wider than the remaining slats, and adjacent to each is a slidable locking-Slat 30, having its ends freely movable on the circumferential fianges or rims 14 and its inner side connected to the corresponding side of the slat 29 by coilsprings 31, which tend to bring the one edge of the locking-Slat in each instance normally in close relation to the adjacent edge of the bracing-Slat 29. The springs 31 are of such tension as -not only to normally draw the locking-slats 3() in close relation to the bracing-slats 29, but also hold the terminals of the said locking-slats in close bearing relation to the circumferential flanges or rims 14. For convenience in operating Ior moving the ocking-slats they are formed with recesses 32 at their centers. By having these locking or holding slats at opposite parts of the drum clothing or other articles may be more conveniently attached without delay or without requiring a tedious expenditure of time to locate the locking or holding slats, as would be the case in the use of a single locking or holding slat.

One reduced terminal of the shaft or axle of the drum has a crank 33 secured thereon for rotating the drum Within the receptacle or suds-box between the rollers, and at any time desired the drum may be withdrawn from the suds-box t0 cleanse the latter or for other purposes, and to normally hold the said drum in the suds-box hook-catches 34 are movably attached to the wear or bearing plates 9 and are thrown over the opposite reduced terminals of the shaft or axle of the drum. At any time found necessary these hook-catches are disengaged from the terminals of the drum shaft or axle and the drum Withdrawn from the suds-b ox or receptacle.

In the operation of the machine articles of clothing, fabrics, or other materials are applied to the drum and terminally inserted between either one of the locking-slats 30 -and the adjacent bearing-Slat 29. The drum is then rotated, and the article of clothin T or 115 fabric or other material having length will be wound around the drum in close contact with the slats 15. The repeated engagement of the rollers 17 and 18 with the article or material held on the drum will result in a thorough 1 2o cleansing operation. The quantity of suds or wash-water disposed in the receptacle or box 1 may be varied, and during the washing operation it Will flow through the drum and come in contact with the opposite sides of the 1 z 5 fabric or article washed. When the cover 3 is closed over the receptacle or box 1, the steam will beneficially act on the article or material washed. Furthermore, in the actu- IOO IIO

ation of the drum rotation in opposite directions may be imparted thereto to thoroughly cleanse the artic e of clothing or fabric thereon, and it Will be understood that a reversal of the drum after movement thereof in one direction will cause -the article or fabric to unwind from the drum and then rewind on the latter, thereby bringing opposite si'des of the article cleansed in close engagement with the rollers.

Changes in the pro ortions, dimensions, and minor details may e resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new isf 1. In a washing-machine, a receptacle, a drum rotatably mounted in the receptacle, supporting-frames removably pivoted adjacent to opposite ends of the vreceptacle and having pivoted cross-bars, rollers mounted in the upper extremities of the frames, and springs interposed between the cross-bars and the ends of the receptacle.

2. In a washingfmachine, a receptacle, a drum rotatablyv and removably mounted in the receptacle, supporting-frames removably pivoted in the receptacle adjacent to opposite ends of the latter and having pivoted cross-bars kwith outwardly-projecting studs, springs engaging the said studs and the ends of the receptacle, and rollers mounted in the up er extremities of the frames and norma ly held in engagement with opposite portions of the drum.

3. In a washing-machine7 a receptacle, a drum rotatably mounted in the receptacle,

"supporting-frames pivotally disposed in the receptacle adjacent to opposite portions of the latter, and having intermediate movable elements, rollers held by the upper extremities of the frames, and springs engaging the intermediate movable elements of the frames and the 'ends of the receptacle to force the v nesses.

CURRAN E. MITCHELL Witnesses .W. W. HoRALsoN.

M. W. HOWARD. 

